abaft

[Middle English on baft : on, at; see on + baft, to the rear (from Old English beæftan, behind : be, by, at + æftan, behind).]

adv. in or behind the stern of a ship.

prep. nearer the stern than; behind: the yacht has a shower just abaft the galley.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

Aft of any given point on a ship.

The adverb has one meaning:

Meaning #1: at or near or toward the stern of a ship or tail of an airplane
  Synonyms: aft, astern

This picture was taken abaft the funnel on an early steamship. Notice that the ventilator cowls on either side of the funnel are directed towards the stern of the vessel.

Abaft is a nautical expression indicating a point that is behind a given part of a boat or ship. For example, "abaft the funnel" means behind the ship's funnel (chimney). (If not qualified, abaft means "behind the mid-point of a ship or group of ships".)

Note that unqualified or in the "abaft the beam" form, abaft does not necessarily refer to a point actually on the ship; it may refer to a point some significant distance away.

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